Stack curing apparatus



Mawh G E. v. @GLLENS ETAL. gggmvws STACK CURING APPARATUS Filed May 6, 1946 a; 4 MM fiery fiatented Mar. 28, i956 2,502,205 STACK CURING APPARATUS Edgar V. Collins and Vernon S. Peterson,- Ames, Iowa Application May 6, 1946, Serial No. .667-,712

' 6 Claims. 1

This invention relates generally to hay curing apparatus and in particular to a device and method for forming air passageways in a stack of stalk material to be artificially cured by circulating air therethrough. The practice of curing hay in stack form is well-known and generally comprises providing or building air tunnels in the stack as it is being formed, through which heated or atmospheric air is later circulatedby a portable air moving apparatus. hay can be stacked, while having a relatively heavy moisture content, so as to permit harvesting in adverse weather without impairing the crop. Further hay artificially cured with an initial moisture content of about forty per cent,

has been found to have improved feeding qualities relative to naturally cured hay.

However, most of the present devices in general use for tunnelling a hay stack are not completely satisfactory due to the fact that some of these devices must remain in the stack during the curing operation, while others remainin the stack at all times and are removed only when the stack has been used or moved. As a result a separate device is required for each stack so as to appreciably increase the cost for curing two or more haystacks. With the devices that remain permanently in the stack considerable inconvenience is encountered when material is removed from the stack by virtue of striking the device with pitch forks and hooks and the working around the exposed parts of 1 the device, as the stack is lowered. p

Some of the devices now in use for tunnelling a haystack are removable on completion of the stack. These devices, however, are generally bulky, difiicult to. move, and limited in. application to stacks about ten feet high.

It is an object of this invention to provide an H improved device and method for forming air passageways in a stack of stalk material to b artificially cured.

Another object of this invention is to provide ,a stack tunnellingdevice which is of a simple construction, eificient inuse to form tunnels extended both laterally and longitudinally of a :stack, and easily and quickly removed from a completed stack so as to be available for use in tunnelling other stacks.

A furtherobjectof this'invention is to provide a device for forming air passageways in a stack of stalk material which is capable of repeated use -in the buildingfof' a large haystack to form air By virtue of this procedure passageways in the stack at different levels above the ground surface.

A feature of this invention is found in the provision of a stack tunnelling device comprised of an inflatable unit integrally formed with an elongated body portion and longitudinally spaced extensions projected laterally therefrom. A stack is built about the unit, when infiated,.so that one end of the body portion is accessible from the outside of the completed stack. When the stack is completed the unit is deflated and removed from the stack by merely pulling on the unit in a direction longitudinally of the body portion.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a completed haylstack showing a tunnel structure therein formed by the device of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tunnel forming device of this invention;

Fig, 3. is a longitudinal sectional View as seen along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an end elevational view looking toward the right in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a partly completed high 'haystack showing the device of this invention ,ina position for forming tunnelsin the upper'portion of the completed stack.

With reference to the drawings the tunnel forming device. Ofth'iS-lnVelltiOn is illustrated in Figs; 2 and 3 as being of a unit construction including an elongated tubular mainbody member l0 and pairs of tubular members ll extended laterally from opposite sides of the body member and spaced longitudinally of the body member If]. Asclearly appears in Figs. 3 and 4 the body member l0 and'the lateral members I l are arranged in a substantially common plane.

The body'member In and lateral members II are composed of aninflatable material such as rubber, rubberized canvas or the like, with the body member ID being closed at its opposite ends it and I3 (Fig.2); The lateral members are closed at their, free or outer ends I4, while their inner ends l6 are open to the space within the body member 10.

A single air valve of a usual type, indicated enerallyas ll, is assembled in the end I 2 of the body member ID. The valve I! is adapted for connection .witha usual automobile pump (not shown) to provide for the concurrent innation of the .bOdy member l0 and the lateral members II. Likewise on release of air through the valve I7, the complete device is deflated.

As best appears in Figs. 2 and 3 the body member ID is tapered inwardly from its end I2 to its end I3 and each lateral member I I is tapered inwardly from its connected or inner end I6 to its outer or free end I4, for a purpose which will appear later. In one embodiment of the invention it is contemplated that the main body member I'Il have a length of about twenty-four feet with a diameter at its end I2 of about thirty inches, and a diameter at its end I3 of about twenty inches. In this embodiment each lateral member II is about twelve feet long, with a diameter of sixteen inches at its inner end I6 and a diameter of ten inches at its outer end I4. It is seen, therefore, that the transverse sectional area of the body member ID at any position over its length, is greater than the largest transverse sectional area of a lateral member II. It is apparent, of course, that the size of the unit may be varied according to the size of the stack to be built.

In the use of the tunnel forming device of this invention assume that a stack of hay is to be formed or built in a field. The device in an inflated condition, is laid on the ground and the stack is built on and about the device such that the end I2 of the body member I is open to one end of the stack, and with the free ends I4 of the members I I being spaced inwardly about four feet from the sides of the stack. The stack thus built should, for best curing results, be about eight feet high.

On completion of the stack air within the device is released through the air valve I1 and the device withdrawn from the stack by pulling outwardly in a longitudinal direction on the end I? of the body member I0. To facilitate removing the device from the stack, the end I2 may be provided with a handle or the like l8. Sincethe hay in the stack is self-supporting on completion of the stack, the members I l and the body member I0 are readily moved through the stack and outwardly therefrom through the openin formed in the stack for access to the end l2 of the body member. To facilitate the removal of the device the lateral members I I are inclined generally toward the end I3 of the body member ID. On removal of the device from the stack it is immediately available for forming air passageways in any other stacks to be formed.

With the device withdrawn from the completed haystack, indicated generally as 20 in Fig. 1 the tunnel structure in the stack. simulates the shape of the inflated device, so that airpassageways extend both laterally and longitudinally of the stack 20 as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Air for curing purposes is then supplied through the tunnel structure at the opening 2i in the haystack 20, and from the tunnel structure air is circulated generally upwardly so as to cure all portions of the stack. It is apparent of course that the opening 2| is the opening through which the device was removed from the stack. The tapered construction of the body member It and lateral members II, provides for a corresponding taper in the tunnel structure .formed in the stack, and provides for the air supplied at the tunnel opening 2| being substantially uniformly distributed throughout the tunnel structure.

In the event a relatively high stack, on the order of about sixteen feet high, is to be built, the stack is initially built to a height of about eight ill feet high in all ways similar to the building of the stack 20 described in connection with Fig. 1. After the stack has been built to a height of about eight feet, and as illustrated in Fig. 5, the device is deflated and removed from the bottom of the stack, and after being inflated is positioned on the top of the partly formed stack. With the device thus positioned the stack is built another eight feet higher, afte which the unit is dehated and removed from the top portion of the stack. A single device is thus adapted to form air passageways or tunnels in a high stack at different elevations from the ground surface. Air for curing purposes is admitted separately into the spaced tunnel structures for circulation throughout the stack.

In the event the hay is to be stacked in a ham or the like the device is arranged so that the free ends I5 of the members II are positioned adjacent to a wall of the barn, since such walls will effectively close the ends of the tunnels or air passageways formed by the members I I, without requiring a wall of hay at such ends.

From a consideration of the above description it is seen that the invention provides a device for forming air passageways or tunnels in a hay stack to be artificially cured, which is of a simple and compact design, light in weight so as to be readily handled, and capable of being folded, when not in use, so as to occupy a minimum of space in storage. The device is immediately removable on completion of a hay stacking operation so that only a single device is required for building any number of haystacks. Furthe the device is adapted to form air passageways extended both longitudinally and laterally of a haystack to assure a complete distribution of cur ing air throughout all portions of the stack.

Although the invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited since changes and modifications can be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A device for forming air passageways in a stack of material to be artificially cured, comprising an inflatable unit integrally formed with a main conduit, and conduits extended laterally from opposite sides of said main conduit in a longitudinally spaced relation, with said main conduit and laterally extended conduits being in a substantially common plane.

2. A device for forming air passageways in a stack of material to be artifiicially cured comprising an inflatable unit integrally formed with an elongated main portion, and portions laterally extended in opposite directions from said main portion, said unit, when inflated, being positioned within the stack as the stack is formed, and being removable from the stack, when deflated, by pulling in a direction longitudinally of said main portion.

3. A device for forming air passageways in a stack of material to be artificially cured compris ing, an inflatable unit having an elongated cylindrical main portion tapered inwardly toward one end thereof, aplurality of oppositely arranged cylindrical portions laterally extended 'from'said main portion and inclined generally toward the one end of said main portion, and air valve means in said unit, said unit, when inflated, being built within the stack as the stack is formed, and being removable from the stack, when deflated, by pullthereof, a plurality of portions extending laterally from said body portion and spaced longitudinally of said body portion, with said lateral portions being tapered inwardly toward their free ends and inclined generally toward the one end of said main portion.

5. A device for forming air passageways in a stack of material to be artificially cured comprising a closed inflatable unit integrally formed with an elongated main portion of a cylindrical shape, an air valve at one end of said main portion, and cylindrioally shaped extensions projected laterally from said main portion, with said extensions being of a smaller diameter than the diameter of said main portion.

6. A device for forming an air passageway in a stack of material to be artificially cured comprising a closed elongated inflatable unit of a substantially cylindrical shape over its full length, whereby the side wall of said unit is concentrically arranged relative to the longitudinal axis of said unit, and an air valve means at one end of said unit, said unit when inflated, being arranged within the stack as the stack is formed such that said one end is accessible from a side of the formed stack, with the transverse cross sectional area of said one end of the unit being at least equal to the transverse cross sectional area of any other portion of said unit over the complete length thereof, so that when the unit is deflated it is readily removed from the stack by being pulled outwardly on said one end thereof.

E. V. COLLINS.

V. S. PETERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,160,631 Magnus Nov. 16, 1915 1,376,757 Graham May 3, 1921 1,450,033 Gowan Mar. 27, 1923 1,949,650 Lindas Mar. 6, 1934 2,153,741 Cobi Apr. 11, 1939 2,227,818 Bayouth Jan. 7, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 488,495 Germany Dec. 28, 1929 

